Upper Minors Thursday: Everybody Wins

The Bisons’ offense took care of business early, scoring seven runs in the second and third innings before rain washed out the last two frames.

2B Josh Satin(.302/.406/.474 – 107 games; pictured) had a perfect night, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI.

CF Matt den Dekkerinched closer to a .200 batting average after going 2-for-4 with a double, 3 RBI and a strikeout. With 66 strikeouts in 53 games, he’s sitting at .198/.232/.396 while 21 of his 41 hits have gone for extra-bases.

RHP Chris Schwinden might never be a really good MLB pitcher, but he’s a fine AAA pitcher as he lowered his ERA to 2.87 in the International League this year: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K.

DH Reese Havens led off while 2B Wilmer Flores hit second in the absence of Juan Lagares, missed his second straight game with a “tweaked ankle” that is reportedly day-to-day at this point. Oh, and it worked. Havens (.234/.366/.374 – 84 games; 97 strikeouts) was 4-for-5 with a strikeout, while Flores (.274/.324/.421 – 44 games) was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a strikeout. Over on the left side of the diamond, 3B Jefry Marte was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

The 25-year old Havens has been better after the All-Star Break, going .278/.406/.430 with 25 strikeouts in 22 games, because he’s striking out less, but he’s still a 25-year old in double-A. By contrast, the 21-year old Marte, after a slow June, has bounced back with a .280/.337/.419 line in 27 games after the break with four walks against 10 strikeouts. The age gap and strikeout gap are very, very important.